Smaller Lidars Could Allow UAVs to Conduct Underwater Scans

Bathymetric lidars – devices that employ powerful lasers to scan beneath the water’s surface – are used today primarily to map coastal waters. At nearly 600 pounds, the systems are large and heavy, and they require costly, piloted aircraft to carry them.

A team at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) has designed a new approach that could lead to bathymetric lidars that are much smaller and more efficient than the current full-size systems.